What Not to Include On Your Resume
By Martin Buckland
There is no room for a mistake in a resume. The potential employer is looking for close to perfection and your resume has to allude to that.
Resume styles have changed over the years; however, some content remains unacceptable in a North American resume.
Age, Sex, and Marital Status
If you place any of this information on your resume, you are likely to be discounted from further reading. These variables have absolutely no impact on your ability to perform the job and should remain personal.
Political and Religious Affiliations
Leave them out! Although age discrimination is decreasing, people will always discriminate for religion or political reasons. It’s none of their business, so why place an obstacle in your way?
Hobbies
If your hobbies aren’t relevant to your career, leave them off. It’s information an employer doesn’t need to see.
Volunteer Work and Community Involvement
Increasingly potential employers and recruiters are seeking people who participate in community activities and give their time for free. It says a lot about your character. However, if your volunteer work is related to religion or politics, leave it out.
Employer Information
Including the name of your manager and direct supervisor and their contact details is not necessary. It has no relevance to your hiring. If the employer requires this information at the interview stage, they will ask.
References
It is automatically assumed that you have a list of references already primed and typed on a reference sheet. This should be taken with you to the interview and left off your resume.
Remuneration
Your salary and bonus expectations are not required. It may overprice you and allow the potential employer to slot you into other positions in which you aren’t particularly interested. Leave out any of your financial expectations.
Martin Buckland is a Professional Career Management Expert with offices in Canada and the U.S. President of Elite Resumes, he is certified in resume writing, executive & career coaching, job search strategies, personal branding and interview coaching. For more information on his services, visit www.aneliteresume.com or call 1-866-773-7863.